Sleep-wake patterns in schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the differences between a sample of patients with schizophrenia and a sample of healthy controls in terms of sleep patterns and self-reported sleep quality and quality of life (QoL).

Methods: Thirty-four schizophrenia outpatients (SP), 12 women and 22 men and 34 healthy subjects (HS), 15 women and 19 men, participated in this study. Wrist-actigraphy recordings and a sleep diary were used for sleep-wake cycle assessment. The quality of sleep was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the QoL was evaluated using the World Health Organization Quality of Life - Abbreviated version (WHOQOL-Bref). The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used for psychopathology assessment.

Results: Patients sleep more at night, but have poorer sleep efficiency, than HS. Sleep latency and nighttime awakenings were significantly higher in SP. Self-reported QoL scores were significantly higher, in all four domains, in HS. Scores on PSQI were significantly higher in SP, indicating a worse quality of sleep. Two disturbed patterns of sleep-wake phase were found in SP: advance sleep-phase syndrome (ASPS) (N = 3) and irregular sleep-wake rhythm (N = 3).

Conclusion: Schizophrenia patients have more disturbed sleep-wake patterns and poor sleep quality and quality of life compared with healthy controls.

Keywords: Actigraphy; Quality of life; Schizophrenia; Sleep; Sleep-wake rhythm.